THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE. 



107 



tion are electrical effects and due to the 

 fact that the atom consists of corpuscu- 

 lar charges. The constant ratio be- 

 tween quantity of inertia and quantity 

 of gravitation, for a given body, is thus 

 explained. We may state the theory 

 thus: The inertia of matter is due to 

 the electromagnetic inductance of the 

 corpuscular charges, and gravitation is 

 due to the change of density of the 

 ether surrounding the corpuscles, this 

 change of density being a secondary ef- 

 fect arising from the electrostatic stress 

 of the corpuscular charges." 



We are able to publish in the pres- 

 ent issue of this Journal an article on 

 China, by Mr. William Barclay Par- 

 sons, which represents the best knowl- 

 edge obtainable from recent and accu- 

 rate observations. The present political 

 crisis has called forth other articles, and 

 books will be forthcoming, giving a cer- 

 tain amount of reliable information in 

 regard to the physical and social aspects 

 of the country. Still, the difference be- 

 tween Eastern and Western civilization 

 becomes apparent the moment any 

 definite question is asked about the 

 natural resources or social conditions of 

 China. Almost any fair question of this 

 nature about our own country would 

 meet with a ready and reasonably com- 

 plete answer from some one of the gov- 

 ernment bureaus or from general sci- 

 entific literature. When it is asked about 

 China we obtain in general only opin- 

 ions of travelers, missionaries or other 

 foreign residents, opinions based on 

 vague data and guided usually by medi- 

 ocre scientific training. On what is per- 

 haps the most important questions of 

 all: What is the mental and moral 

 make-up of the Chinese people? How 

 will they act singly or collectively under 

 given conditions? we get even less ac- 

 curate judgments than we do on the 

 mineral resources, the fauna and flora, 

 etc. It is a pity that the sciences of 

 human nature are not far enough ad- 

 vanced to make it practicable to send a 

 body of anthropologists and psycholo- 

 gists to China to examine and diagnose 



the mental capacities and proclivities of 

 the race. Even as things are, such a 

 report would be worth something as a 

 supplement to the impressions of those 

 who have written about China. It 

 might be assumed from the general 

 principles of the theory of evolution 

 that races which have for many cen- 

 turies been subject to a nearly constant 

 environment will be greatly disturbed 

 by new conditions. It is not surprising 

 that the native tribes of America and 

 Australasia should be exterminated. On 

 the other hand, rabbits imported into 

 Australia and negroes imported into 

 America have flourished, and the Jap- 

 anese have adapted themselves to a new 

 civilization in a marvelous fashion. Com- 

 mon-sense and science are in equal 

 measure unable to foretell what will 

 happen to China and its peoples. 



It will be remembered that the Tate 

 Dr. Alfred Nobel bequeathed nearly all 

 his great fortune, estimated at ten mil- 

 lion dollars, for the establishment of five 

 prizes. The exact terms of his will, 

 which have only recently been made 

 public, are as follows: 



The capital, converted into safe in- 

 vestments by the executors of my will, 

 shall constitute a fund the interest of 

 which shall be distributed annually as 

 a reward to those who, in the course 

 of the preceding year, shall have ren- 

 dered the greatest services to humanity. 

 The sum total shall be divided into 

 five equal portions, assigned as follows: 



1. To the person having made the 

 most important discovery or invention 

 in the department of physical science. 



2. To the person having made the 

 most important discovery or having 

 produced the greatest improvement in 

 chemistry. 



3. To the author of the most im- 

 portant discovery in the department of 

 physiology or of medicine. 



4. To the author having produced 

 the most notable literary work in the 

 sense of idealism. 



5. To the person having done the 

 most, or the best, in the work of estab- 

 lishing the brotherhood of nations, for 

 the suppression or the reduction of 

 standing armies, as well as for the for- 

 mation and propagation of peace con- 

 ferences. 



